Taking The Plunge

[Andy]

Well I've finally started my serious work towards my first guitar.

I've bought a sheet of 39.5" x 9" x 0.6mm Bookmatched Birdeye/quilted maple veneer for the top. Which should leave easily enough to do the head stock as well. and some for colour testing.

Something like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/joenalex/12jan302.jpg

I'm planning for a Maple or Mahogany laminated through neck (possibly mahogany/maple/mahogany/maple/magohany depending on the wood that I can find), with an ebony or rosewood fingerboard also depending on avaliability.

And either 1 3/4" Basswood or Alder body wings (though I'm unsure about veneering over the arm contour I'd probably need with these). Or a thin 1" mahogany body (which won't require an arm contour but will make it a heavier guitar)

The body shape is a standard Super-Strat style. Fixed 6-string bridge with Dimarzio Air norton/Tonezone pickups (which I will face with the stained maple). With a shared volume and tone, Split/series/parallel switches independantly for both, and a 3 way neck/both/bridge switch.

I'm going to finish the top in blue deep stained (like carvin CT6 triple step). And I'm going to do the back and sides in black. And I'll veneer the headstock and just do it to match the body

Here are my questions:

When finishing the back. I'm unsure as to how to continue up the neck.as i dont want to hide the neck wood.

Should I mask a straight line and leave the neck natrual wood coloured, Like:

http://students.washington.edu/naf/photo/g...s/CRW_3900.html

Or feather the back colour into the neck. again leaving it wood coloured, Similar to:

http://www.jdmusic.com/Ibanartbassbk.jpg

I'm liking the first as It'll be easier especially when it comes to finishing it (gloss for the body and possibly tung oil or satin for the neck)

Should I paint the body black before or after I've Done the veneer in blue (mask the body to stain it. or mask the veneer to spray it)

Has any one got any tips on doing a multi step saining on bird eye veneer (starting black. then blue black mix, then blue, with a light sanding inbetween). Does the birdeyeing change the way it works and take in dye compared to quilted maple.

Should I veneer the body first then cut the slot for the fret board and add that afterwards? or should I attach the fretboard, then veneer. Bearing in mind I'll probably be shaping the neck after the board is installed to get a profile like my current guitar.

Edited to add "Photoshop" image

http://www.freewebs.com/xanders__ramblings...ltguitarJPG.jpg

Edited January 2, 2005 by Andy